ABOUT US

History of the Joe Huber Family Farm

Simon Huber migrated from Baden-Baden, Germany in 1843 and settled in Starlight, Indiana with apple trees ready to plant.  The seventh generation of Huber's now live here in Starlight.

Joseph Huber, Sr. (fourth generation) and his wife Mary, Purchased what is now the Joe Huber Family Farm in 1926.  They became the proud parents of eleven children while they raised cattle and chickens.  Mary dressed the chickens as needed for lunch and supper and the boys milked the cows daily. Back then, many of the farm hands resided at the farmhouse with the rest of the family during harvest, and Mary prepared three full meals each day for all.  Eggs were fried up fresh from the barnyard for breakfast and everyone loved Grandma Mary's chicken and dumplings for lunch.  Fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, a variety of fresh vegetables from the garden, homemade rolls, fresh fruit pies and cobblers weren't unusual fare for supper.

Joe Huber, Jr. and his wife Bonnie lived just up the road from the Farm with their five young children and continued to help Joseph and Mary with the Farm while Joe, Jr. worked at the Indiana Gas Company.  Bonnie and Joe, III used to pull a little red wagon out to the pickle patch to pick while Kim stayed at the house with the other three, Beverly, Louie and Chuck.  When Joseph, Sr. passed away in 1967, Joe and Bonnie purchased the 200 acre Farm, moved into the old farmhouse and Joe, Jr. quit his job at the Gas Company to become a full time farmer.  He drove the school bus for years to supplement the income from the Farm and one hot summer day in July, 1967 when they had a field full of green beans they weren't able to get picked, Joe said, "Bonnie, what do you think would happen if we put an ad in the paper to pick your own green beans?"

So....that's how and when it all started.   People came by the carloads to the Farm to pick their own while Joe and Bonnie's children looked at each other bewildered, not believing that these "city people" thought that picking fruits and vegetables was fun!  The garage next to the farmhouse was transformed into a market and soon afterward, the Farm Market was constructed.

We had a whole new variety of "farm hands!"  The kind that drove out from the city and paid us to pick their own!  Well, it wasn't long before our new "farmhands" started complaining that they were hungry after picking.  Bonnie responded by preparing food in her own kitchen for her "regulars" and delivered it to them in the Farm Market when they had finished picking.  And guess what?  We built the Restaurant in July 1983 and offered fare very similar to that Mary Huber served to her farm hands in the 1920's and 1930's.  No, we no longer raise and dress our own chickens, but we do serve only fresh chicken and no, we no longer milk or butcher our own cows, but we still raise a wide variety of fruits and vegetables on our Farm with a little help from modern technology and a lot of help from our customers.

Bonnie and Joe still reside in the original farmhouse and their five children have all built their homes on the Farm, where they work and raise their children with lots of help from "Mam" and "Pop" (Bonnie and Joe).  Bonnie and Joe have twelve grandchildren, and all that are old enough, work on the Farm today.  Yes, we truly are a "Family Farm" and we continue to greatly appreciate all that our customers, A.K.A. "farm hands", have done and continue to do to make us successful.  We look forward to seeing you and your family in the near future.  Please tell your friends and neighbors about our Family Farm.